Cushioning mechanism



arch 18, 1941. E. H. BLATTNER CUSHIONING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l kl llllll E. H. BLATTNER 35,472

cusaroume MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 i x 1 [Ill/[L4 I x" Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES CUSHIONING llIECl-IANISM Emil H. Blattner, Rochester, N. Y.,

assignor to The Symington-Gould Corporation, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application January 3, 1935, Serial No.

281. Divided and this application July 2'7,

1938, Serial No. 221,613

7 Claims.

This is a divisional application of my pending application for Cushioning mechanism, Serial No. 281, filed January 3, 1935.

This invention relates to railway draft rigging and more particularly to the draft gear or cushioning mechanism which forms a part thereof.

An object of the invention is the provision, in a draft rigging, of a double-ended draft gear adapted for series application to provide for a 9 greater buffing than draft energy absorbing capacity.

A feature of the invention is the provision, in a draft gear, of a body member having a slot extending therethrough for the accommodation of a draft key for connecting the body member with associated draft sills, said body member having a twin-arranged means disposed at each end thereof for absorbing the bufling forces applied thereto, only one of said twin-arranged means 2 being actuated during the application of draft forces.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion having helical spring means engaging one end of the body portion, cooperating segmental friction shoes arranged in pairs and positioned within said spring means, and a central wedge extending from said body member and acting between said friction shoes for urging one pair of shoes into bearing relation with the other pair and the latter into engagement with said helical spring means.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from an inspection of the ac- Z -B companying drawings which disclose a form of the invention and wherein:

Figure l is a partial side elevational View and partial longitudinal vertical section of a form of cushioning mechanism embodying the invention.

40 Figure 2 is a partial end elevational view and partial transverse sectional view of the body member of the form of cushioning mechanism shown in Figure 1; the sectional view being taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the 4;, direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the inner 50 spring plates.

Figure 5 is a partial elevational view and partial sectional view of Figure 4, the sectional view being taken along the lines 5-5 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrows.

55 Figure 6 is a side View of one of the outer segmental friction shoes removed from the associated parts.

Figure '7 is an end view of the shoes shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side view of one of the inner seg- 5 mental friction shoes separated from the associated parts.

Figure 9 is an end View of the shoe of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a plan view of one of the outer spring plates.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along the lines ll-l l of Figure 10.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown an embodiment of a cushioning mechanism l comprising a body member or casting 2 having a pair of helical or coil spring barrels 3 twin-arranged and disposed at either end thereof. The body member or casting 2 desirably has a longitudinally disposed slot, as indicated at i for receiving a draft key or other stop means (not shown) in order to connect the body member to associated draft sills (not shown). The gear l may have a front follower l and a rear follower 8 associated with the front and rear faces thereof, and the gear may also be normally disposed between the arms and rear portion of a draft yoke (not shown) as well as a coupler stem (not shown).

Inasmuch as the spring barrels 3 and associated mechanism are identical in all respects and in all of the arrangements at both ends of the body member 2% only one of said arrangements will be hereinafter described.

A helical spring barrel 3 is desirably formed of bar material of a rectangular or square cross section and has a cylindrical inner surface 5. Each helical spring barrel reacts longitudinally of the mechanism between an outer spring plate or seat l2 and an inner spring plate or seat I3 The face of the outer spring seat 2 outwardly 40 of or away from the helical spring 3 is provided with a recess 22 to accommodate outstanding flanges M on a pair or set of outer segmental counterpart friction elements or shoes w thereby disposing the outer surfaces of the flanges I4 and the outermost surface of the outer spring seat I2 in substantially a common plane to form an adequate area for the arrangement to bear against the follower T or 8 as the case may be.

By extending into the recess 22 the outer shoe flanges M form an interlock between the outer shoes and outer spring plate, thereby allowing the spring barrel to urge the outer shoes outwardly of the mechanism or away from the body member 2 during an expansive movement of the helical springs. As will be noted by referring to Figure 10 of the drawings, the recess 22 is formed to prevent axial rotation between the outer shoes and outer spring plate. The outer set of shoes H is arranged with cylindrically disposed surfaces 6 which frictionally engage the inner cylindrical surface 5 of the helical spring barrel 3 upon a compressive or expansive movement of the mechanism.

The complementary set of inner segmental counterpart friction elements or shoes 16* has outer surfaces 9 thereof in bearing relation with inner faces ll] of the shoes I5 The surfaces 9 and II] are desirably generally cylindrical and have corresponding curvatures in horizontal cross section, as most clearly illustrated in Figure 3, to present engaging surfaces of appreciable area between the shoes I5 and I 6 Both the surfaces 9 and ID are substantially slightly inclined inwardly of the draft gear toward the body member 2 or angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the associated spring. The inner shoes are provided at their inner or the body adjacent ends with outstanding radial flanges l'l which extend into a relief or recess 21 of the inner spring seat l3 to overlap a portion of or interlock with the spring seat. As most clearly illus trated in Figure 4 of the drawings, the recess Zi is formed in the inner spring seat so as to prevent relative axial rotation between the inner spring seat and inner friction shoes Hie A central thrust post or wedge member I8 in the present embodiment, is formed as an integral projection extending outwardly of the body member toward the end of the mechanism. The wedge member I8 which forms a means for retaining the associated spring barrel and shoes in a predetermined position with. respect to the body member 2 extends between the inner and outer friction shoes, as most clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. The central wedge Hi has oppositely disposed plane faces l9 thereof in spaced relation to the body member 2 and inclined to the longitudinal axis of the associated spring barrel. The inclined faces are are normally in bearing relation with complementarily formed wedging faces Zil on the inner shoes I 65 positioned intermediate the ends of said shoes so that when the cushioning mechanism is compressed the particularly disposed and engaging surfaces I9 and 28* will provide for a spreading movement of the inner shoes Mi to increase the radial pressure exerted against the outer shoes I5 and correspondingly increase the radial pressure exerted against the inner surface 5 of the helical spring barrel. The wedge member or integral post l3 is laterally elongated in horizontal cross section, as most clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, and desirably extends approximately across the chamber of the spring barrel 3 interfitting between the segments of the shoes lfi and It to thereby prevent an undesired rotative movement of said shoes with respect to the wedge member and one another.

In order to hold the above-described associated elements of the mechanism assembled, as well as limit outward or longitudinal movement of the assembled structure away from the body member 2 the outer spring plate l2 is connected to the integral post m by means of an axially disposed bolt 26 The bolt 26 may be of conventional form with an integral head 27* at its inner or post adjacent end and an element or nut 28 threaded or detachably secured to the free or outer end.

In order to provide for an over-solid force or load during service and reinforce or stiffen the relatively thin section of the body member 2 at the ends of the key slot 4 there is desirably provided a necked down projection 33 centrally disposed of the mechanism and formed integral with the body member. The projection 33 extends between the twin-arranged helical spring barrels on each end of the body member 2*, as most clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, and is provided with cylindrically formed surfaces 34 positioned in the close proximity of the associated spring barrel to form guiding surfaces for the spring barrels and associated parts.

It will be noted that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the various figures of the drawings and described by the present specification, numerous changes and alterations may be made thereto without departing from within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion, twin-arrangedhelical spring barrels engaging one end of said body portion, a seat for each end of each spring barrel, cooperating segmental friction shoes arranged in pairs within each spring barrel, the members of each pair being anchored to said seats respectively disposed adjacent said body member, and at the end of the mechanism away from said member, a central wedge member integral with and extending from said body member into each spring barrel and acting between said friction shoes for urging them laterally and pressing them together, said central members being in wedging engagement with one pair of friction shoes, and means for holding the parts of the mechanism assembled.

2. Cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion, twin-arranged helical spring barrels disposed at each end of said body portion, a seat for each end of each spring barrel, cooperating segmental friction shoes arranged in pairs within each spring barrel, the members of each pair being anchored to said seats respectively disposed adjacent said body portion and at opposite ends of the mechanism, pairs of central wedge members integral with said body portion and extending outwardly therefrom with one received into each spring barrel, and acting between said friction shoes for urging them together, said central members being in wedging engagement With one pair of friction shoes, and means for securing the outer spring seats to said central wedge members for holding the parts assembled.

3. A cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion, twin-arranged spring barrels engaging one end of said body portion, a seat for each end of each spring barrel, cooperating segmental friction shoes arranged in pairs within each of said barrels, the shoes of each pair being interlocked with said seats respectively disposed adjacent said body member and at one end of the mechanism away from said member, a central wedge member formed integrally with and extending from said body member into each spring barrel and acting between pairs of said friction shoes for urging them laterally and pressing said shoes together, said central members being in wedging engagement with one pair of friction shoes, removable means for holding the parts of the mechanism together, and means associated with said body member and extending between said spring barrels to prevent excessive load applications to said springs.

4. Cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion, twin-arranged helical spring barrels engaging one end of said body portion, a seat for each end of each spring barrel, cooperating segmental friction shoes arranged in pairs within each of said spring barrels, the members of each pair being anchored to said seats respectively disposed adjacent said body member, and at the end of the mechanism away from said member, a central wedge member integral with and extending from said body member into each spring barrel and acting between said friction shoes for urging them laterally and pressing them together, said central members being in wedging engagement with one pair of friction shoes, and means formed integral with said body member and extending between said spring barrels to prevent excessive load applications to said springs.

5. A cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion, twin-arranged spring barrels engaging one end of said body portion, a seat for each end of each spring barrel, cooperating segmental friction shoes arranged in pairs within each spring barrel, the shoes of each pair being interlocked with said seats respectively disposed adjacent said body member and at one end of the mechanism away from said member, a central wedge member formed integrally with and extending from said body member into each spring barrel and acting between said friction shoes for urging them laterally and pressing them together, said central members being in wedging engagement with one pair of friction shoes, and means associated with said body member and extending between said spring barrels, said' means having cylindrically concave surfaces for engagement by said spring barrels to form guide means for said barrels.

6. Cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion having a slot extending therethrough for the reception of a draft key, twin-arranged helical spring barrels engaging one end of said body portion, an inner and an outer seat associated with the ends of each of said spring barrels, cooperating inner and outer friction shoes arranged in pairs within each of said spring barrels, the outer shoes and inner shoes being interlocked with said outer and innerv seats, respectively, a central wedge member formed integrally with and extending from said body member into each spring barrel, said central wedges acting between said inner shoes for urging them into engagement with said outer friction shoes and said outer friction shoes into engagement with said spring barrels, and means fo rsecuring the outer spring seat to said central wedge members for holding the mechanism assembled.

'7. Cushioning mechanism comprising a body portion having a slot extending therethrough for the reception of a draft key, twin-arranged helical spring barrels engaging one end of said body portion, an inner and an outer seat associated with the ends of each of said spring barrels, cooperating inner and outer friction shoes arranged in pairs within each of said spring barrels, the outer shoes and inner shoes being interlocked with said outer and inner seats, respectively, .a central wedge member formed integrally with and extending from said body member into each spring barrel, said central wedges acting between said inner shoes for urging them into engagement with said outer friction shoes and said outer friction shoes into engagement with said spring barrels, and means formed integrally with said body member and extending between said spring barrels, said means having cylindrically concave surfaces for guiding said spring barrel-s during movements thereof.

EMIL H. BLATTNER. 

